Dr Chai Patel seemed to promote the idea of people being offered assisted suicide

SPUC Scotland has responded to a nursing home director's comments about assisted suicide. Dr Chai Patel, chairman of a large chain of nursing homes, seemed to promote the idea of people being offered the choice of assisted suicide.

A spokeswoman for SPUC Scotland said Dr Patel represented "a corporate, money-making body that no doubt sees from the example of Dignitas that there is a lot of money to be made from suicide clinics and can only lead one to conclude that these comments are about business not care.

"[They] send out a dangerous message to those in our society who are elderly, infirm or dependent on others for some kind of help, support or care. Illness and old age do not rob people of dignity, but treating them as disposable or placing quality of life judgments on their existence does.